In order to realize the FTTH (Fiber to the Home), that is, to make it possible to transmit/receive high-speed and wide-range information such as ultra high speed data to/from a home and an office, an optical fiber drop cable has been used, which is suitable for dropping a core wire of an optical fiber cable extended from a telephone station to a subscriber's house such as a general house and wiring this core wire there. Specifically, the optical fiber drop cable (outside wire) is a cable for use when the optical fiber is led from an electric pole into the home.
As shown in FIG. 1, an optical fiber drop cable including an optical fiber core wire or optical fiber tape core wire 101 and a pair of conductive metal wires on both sides thereof has been known. Such an optical fiber drop cable includes an optical element portion 102 having the optical fiber core wire and tension members T composed of, for example, steel wires added thereto, both of which are coated in a lump with a cable sheath S formed of a thermoplastic resin, and includes a cable support wire portion 103 having a support wire R composed of a metal wire, for example, a steel wire, which is coated with a sheath S formed of a thermoplastic resin, in which the optical element portion 102 and the cable support wire portion 103 are monolithically connected parallel to each other with a constricted neck portion 104 interposed therebetween.
When the optical fiber core wire is dropped to each home from the optical fiber cable extended from the telephone station by use of this optical fiber drop cable, neck portions 104 on both-side ends of this drop cable are partially tom, and on each side, the optical element portion 102 and the support wire portion 103 are separated. Then, one of the separated support wire portions 103 is fixed to an outside wire holdback of the electric pole, and the other thereof is fixed to a part of the house with a holdback interposed there between.
And, one end of the optical element portion 102 is connected to a cable junction box (cable closure) on the electric pole, and the other end is connected to an OE converter or a termination cabinet inside the house.